Spicy Vietnamese Beef and Noodle Soup

• 5 tablespoons peanut oil
• 3 1/4 pounds meaty oxtails, patted dry
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled, chopped
• 3 stalks lemongrass,* chopped
• 2/3 cup chopped peeled fresh ginger
• 8 garlic cloves, chopped
• 7 whole star anise (star-shaped spice)*
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 12 cups water
• 7 cups canned beef broth (about four 14 1/2-ounce cans)
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla)*
• 1 12-ounce package fresh udon noodles (refrigerated Japanese wheat noodles)* or fresh linguine
• 1 tablespoon oriental sesame oil
• 3 cups bean sprouts
• 6 radishes, thinly sliced
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced
• 4 serrano chilies, thinly sliced
• 6 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 6 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
• 6 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• Lime wedges
• Additional fish sauce (nam pla)

1. Heat peanut oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat.
2. Sprinkle oxtails with salt and pepper.
3. Add oxtails to pot and brown on all sides, about 20 minutes.
4. Transfer oxtails to large bowl.
5. Add onions and next 6 ingredients to same pot.
6. Saute until vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes.
7. Return oxtails to pot.
8. Add 12 cups water, beef broth and 3 tablespoons fish sauce.
9. Cover and simmer gently until oxtails are very tender, about 3 hours.
10. Using tongs, transfer oxtails to large bowl.
11. Strain broth into another large pot; discard solids.
12. Remove meat from oxtails; discard bones.
13. Add meat to broth.
14. Refrigerate overnight.
15. Spoon solid fat off top of soup.
16. Cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until tender.
17. Drain; rinse under cold water.
18. Return to same pot.
19. Toss noodles with sesame oil.
20. Bring soup to boil.
21. Divide noodles, sprouts and next 6 ingredients among 6 bowls.
22. Ladle soup into bowls.
23. Serve with lime wedges and additional fish sauce.
24. *Available at Asian markets and some supermarkets nationwide.

peanut oil, meaty oxtails, onions, carrot, stalks lemongrass, fresh ginger, garlic, anise, black peppercorns, water, beef broth, fish sauce, fresh udon noodles, sesame oil, bean sprouts, radishes, green onions, serrano chilies, fresh basil, fresh mint, cilantro, wedges, fish sauce

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/spicy-vietnamese-beef-and-noodle-soup-103111 (may not work)